The present invention relates to an inflatable safety restraint assembly for a vehicle, and more particularly to an inflatable safety restraint assembly for a vehicle having an A-pillar attached cushion pack that is connected with a flexible tube to an inflator attached to a body structure of the vehicle other than the A-pillar.
It is known to provide an inflatable safety restraint assembly in a vehicle to augment protection traditionally afforded occupants of the vehicle through seat belts and other safety components of an interior of the vehicle. The inflatable safety restraint assembly can be an air bag system disposed within an interior or occupant compartment of the vehicle in close proximity to either a driver and/or one or more passenger areas. Typically, the air bag system includes an air bag module attached to a vehicle steering or instrument panel structure and also includes an air bag configured for deployment through an opening in a cover to extend into the interior or occupant compartment of the vehicle. A deployed air bag is configured to restrain movement of the occupant and assist in the protection of the occupant during a collision.
The air bag system is typically a unitary and fairly non-flexible unit that is attached to a single structure of the vehicle body. The unitary and fairly non-flexible unit has worked well to protect occupants of the vehicle, however the unitary and fairly non-flexible unit has limited interior and exterior design of the vehicle. The limitations to interior and exterior design of the vehicle would be eased while continuing to provide protection for occupants of the vehicle if a multi-element and flexible inflatable safety restraint assembly was available.
In view of the foregoing, it should be appreciated that it would be desirable to provide an inflatable safety restraint assembly for a vehicle having an A-pillar attached cushion pack that is connected with a flexible tube to an inflator attached to a body structure of the vehicle other than the A-pillar. In addition, it should be appreciated that it would be desirable to provide methods of installing an inflatable safety restraint assembly for a vehicle having an A-pillar attached cushion pack that is connected with a flexible tube to an inflator attached to a body structure of the vehicle other than the A-pillar. Furthermore, additional desirable features will become apparent to one skilled in the art from the foregoing background of the invention and following detailed description of a preferred exemplary embodiment and appended claims.
In accordance with the teachings of the present invention, an inflatable safety restraint assembly is provided for a vehicle and methods are also provided for installing such an inflatable safety restraint assembly. The inflatable safety restraint assembly comprises a cushion pack configured for attachment to an A-pillar of the vehicle and an inflator configured for attachment to a body structure of the vehicle other than the A-pillar. The inflatable safety restraint assembly further comprises a flexible tube having a first end connected to the cushion pack and a second end connected to the inflator. The flexible tube is adjustable to provide a number of orientations between the cushion pack attached to the A-pillar and the inflator attached to the vehicle body other than the A-pillar.